Draft-controller for heaters.



R. M. BEDDING & G. FLORENCE. DRAFT CONTROLLER, FOR HEATERS. APPLICATIONIFILED MAB. 24,1911.

1,009,573; v Patented N0v.21,1911.

RUFUS MARION BEDDING AND GEORGE FLORENCE, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

DRAFT-CONTROLLER FOR HEATERS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV, 21, 1911.

Application filed March 24, 1911. Serial No. 616,671.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, RUrUs MARION RED- DING and GEORGE FLORENCE, citizens of the United States, residing at Macon,,in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Controllers for Heaters, of which the following is a specification.

As is well known, it is greatly desirable, for the purpose of highest efficiency of water heaters or any heaters of the type burning gas, oil, alcohol, or other fuel, and used commonly for heating incubators, or the like, that down drafts in the flue carrying ofl the products of combustion, shall be prevented.

The present invention comprises means designed to be associated with an outlet or draft flue of a heater to accomplish the result above referred to, and which furthermore, in the practical adaptation of the invention, is designed to cool the hot gases of combustion resulting from the burning of fuel in heaters or heating appliances of the character hereinbefore mentioned, after said gases pass the point where they cease to render service.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the outlet flue of the heater having the means comprising the invention applied thereto; Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal or vertical sectional views of the parts shown in Fig. 1, the views being taken at right angles to one another and the latter view showing the outlet flue in elevation; Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly; Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 4:, showing a modified construction of the supporting member for the drum; Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken about on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the present invention, it is contemplated that the same may be employed in connection with outlet flues of any general construction, and such as used for carrying oif products of combustion from heaters, the outlet flue being constructed with a deflector in its length and a drum being associated with that portion of the flue having the deflector so as to surround the flue in spaced relation thereto. The products of combustion passing out through the flue are deflected through suitable openings above and below the deflector, into and out of the drum and ultimately vpass off through the portion of the flue above the deflector.

The flue .is provided with a cold air inlet opening adjacent to the deflector, whereby the updraft in the flue draws cold air into the same, cooling the deflector and also cooling the gases which come into contact with the latter in passing off. The deflector performs an additional peculiar function in that it constitutes a baflle to eliminate likelihood of down draft in the flue since cold air passing downwardly in the flue will be prevented from reaching the heater, by said deflector or baffle, being passed to the exterior atmosphere instead.

Specifically describing the invention, in the drawings, Adenotes the outlet flue which is connected with the heater in any conventional and substantial manner, and B is a drum surrounding said flue at a suitable point in its length and held in place by means of a supporting member O composed of inner and outer rings connected together by horizontal webs or arms 1, the inner ring being secured to the flue by suitable fastenings, and the outer ring receiving the lower extremity of the drum and holding the same in proper position upon the flue.

In the preferred form of the invention, the lower end of the frame B is open, but if desired it may be partly closedby means of a semi-circular horizontal partition 2, shown in Fig. 5, the latter being interposed be tween the rings of the supporting member C.

Intermediate the ends of the drum B and located in the flue A is a curved deflector 3 secured to the flue in a substantial way, the flue having upper and lower openings 1 and 5 at one side thereof and located above and below, respectively, the upper extremity of the deflector 3. In like manner, the flue A also has a cold air opening 6 in the side portion thereof opposite the openings 4 and 5 and located just above the lower end of the deflector 3, below the opening 4.

'At-its upper end, the drum B is closed by a closure member 7, having a centering collar receiving the flue A. The drum B is separated by means of longitudinal partitions 8, into two compartments, one of which is in communication with the openings 4: and 5, while the other compartment is in communication with the flue through the opening 6. The partitions 8 extend downwardly s fliciently far to terminate at some point below the deflector 3 and said partitions are preferably secured to the drum, but with their inner edges in very close contact with the flue, permitting the drum B to be bodily raised from the supporting member 0 at any time in order to have access to the interior of the flue by means of the openings 4:, 5 and 6. Obviously the compartment ad jacent to the openings 4 and 5 constitutes a passage for the products of combustion around the deflector 3.

Describing the operation and advantages of the invention under practical conditions of service, it will be apparent that ordinarily, the products of combustion of the heater connected with the flue A, are adapted to pass upwardly through said flue until they strike the deflector 8, whereupon they are deflected outwardly through the openings 5 into the drum B and thence they pass through the opening 4 back into the flue A upwardly into the external atmosphere.

Naturally the products, when passing off in the above manner, draw cold air through the lower open end of the drum into the flue A at the opening 6, and such cold air effectually reduces the temperature of the hot gases, or products of combustion with resultant advantages.

Should there be a down draft in the flue A, the air produced by such draft will strike the deflector 3 and pass out of the flue through the opening 6, being shunted out through the lower open end of the drum. As the down draft passes from the drum, a suction is created through the openings 4 and 5, preventing those effects commonly incidental to down drafts, such as extinguishing the flame in the chamber in which the combustion takes place.

The principles embodied in the present invention are susceptible of being advantageously employed when applied to the construction of ventilators, storm protectors on house flues, chimneys, etc.

The lateral deflection of the down drafts through the opening 6, above referred to, prevents liability of the flame being pushed 1(gut of proper line in the combustion cham- In respect to open hearths, grates, and similar places, the deflector 3 eliminates the possibility of smoke, soot, dirt, etc., being driven by the down drafts into the room. The gases passing upwardly and out through the openings 5 and 4 are not only cooled by contact with the deflector 3, but by being commingled with the cool air drawn into the outlet flue A, through the opening 6.

The supporting member C may be partly closed as shown in Fig. 5, or entirely open, as shown in the other figures of the drawing.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, an outlet flue, a drum surrounding the same closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, a deflector located in the portion of the flue surrounded by said drum, the flue having openings below and above said deflector, whereby gaseous products may pass upwardly through the flue, outwardly into the drum and thence back into the flue.

2. In combination, an outlet flue, a drum surrounding the same closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, a deflector located in the portion of the flue surrounded by said drum, the flue having openings below and above said deflector, whereby gaseous products may pass upwardly through the flue, outwardly into the drum and thence back into the flue, the flue being also provided with an additional opening adapted to admit cold air above the deflector.

3. In combination, an outlet flue, a drum surrounding the same, closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, a deflector located in the portion of the flue surrounded by said drum, the flue having openings below and above said deflector, whereby gaseous products may pass upwardly through the flue, outwardly into the drum and thence back into the flue, the above mentioned openings of the flue being in substantially vertical alinement, and said flue being provided with an additional opening above the deflector opposite the first mentioned openings, to permit the entrance of cold air to commingle with said products passing upwardly through the flue.

4. In combination, an outlet flue, a drum surrounding the same, closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, means between the flue and drum separating the drum into two compartments, a deflector extending across the flue at that portion surrounded by the drum, the flue being provided with upper and lower openings arranged above and below the deflector and located in one of the compartments of the drum, and said flue being provided with an additional opening in the other compartment of the drum.

5. In combination, an outlet flue, a drum surrounding the same, closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, vertical partitions between the drum and flue separating the former into two longitudinal compartments, a deflector extending across the flue at that portion surrounded by the drum, the flue being provided with upper and lower openings arranged above and below the deflector and located in one of the compartments of the drum, and said flue being provided with an additional opening in the other compartment of the drum.

6. In combination, an outlet flue for heaters provided in a side thereof with upper and lower openings, a deflector extending across the flue and terminating at one end between said openings, a drum surrounding the flue at the point where the above openings are provided, and in spaced relation to the flue, the upper end of the drum being closed while its lower end is open, the flue having an outlet opening at the opposite end of the deflector aforesaid, by which down drafts in the flue may be shunted into the open atmosphere.

7. In combination, a flue provided in its length with a deflector extending across the same and having a passage extending from a point beneath the deflector to a point above the deflector, through which products of combustion may pass around the deflector and out of the upper end ofthe flue, said flue being also provided just above the deflector with an outlet communicating with the external atmosphere and formed in the side of the flue opposite the passage above referred to.

8. In combination, an outlet flue for heaters, a compartment provided at a side of said flue, a deflector extending across the flue adjacent to said compartment, the flue having openings communicating with the above compartment and located above and below the deflector adjacent to one end thereof, said flue being also provided with an outlet opening adjacent to the opposite end of the deflector and communicating with the external atmosphere.

9. In combination, an outlet flue for products of combustion of heaters, a drum surrounding said flue in spaced relation thereto and closed at its upper end, a curved deflector extending across the flue, the flue having openings above and below the upper end portion of said deflector, longitudinal partitions between the drum and flue separating the latter into compartments, one of which is in communication with the aforesaid openings in the flue, said partitions extending below the deflector, and the flue having an outlet opening in the other compartment of the drum adjacent to the lower end of the deflector.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

RUFUS MARION BEDDING. GEORGE FLORENCE. Witnesses:

C. W. PHILLIPS, W. E. HOUSER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

